


A new chance of love

by Rogercat



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Dancing, Dating, Dorne inspired by India, Edoras, Elia Martell Deserves Better, Elia Martell Fanworks Week, Elia is divorced from Rhaegar, F/M, Indian Character, Marriage Proposal, Modern Royalty, Rohan, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26771335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogercat/pseuds/Rogercat
Summary: Elia finds Théodred a much better choice of husband-to-beaka the unseen marriage proposal from How behavior affects relationships
Relationships: Elia Martell/Théodred (Tolkien)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 24
Collections: Elia Martell Fanworks Week, Southern Renaissance (Dorne Renaissance)





	A new chance of love

**Author's Note:**

> I like the idea of modern-day Théodred to look like Nils Kuiper in his model images for long hair braids for vikings

It was only natural that Dorne and Rohan had different sorts of holidays, not solely for their different cultures but also official faith and influences from different historical events in the past. Since becoming an independent state nearly two years ago not long after her divoce from Rhaegar, the Rhoynish culture in Dorne had only grown stronger. 

  
  


**_Truth hunting_ **was the official name of the two-days long holiday of Walpurgis Night and May Day, since this festival celebrated not only spring but also the importance of honesty in their culture, a legacy from the days before Eorl the Young. 

“A little sad that your children could not come along, princess. I am sure that they would love to eat all the baked sweets that can be brought,” Elfhild smiled at Elia as her son walked alongside their guest while driving her. The cobblestone paths here in Old Edoras were not so easy to cross with her wheelchair, but the trio still took a chance to have a talk about a few things that had happened in the two realms lately. 

“First Aegon caught a nasty cold from one of the older Sand snakes when they had been in school, and then Rhaenys was hysterical over Balerion falling from the stable roof and narrowly avoiding breaking any of his legs or other bones. So my family and I agreed that it was better for them to stay home in Sunspear when I got the invitation to be a guest here for two weeks.”

Elia had not blamed her daughter for fearing that Balerion might die. It had been a scary sight to see him fall like that from the balcony near the stables, and only avoid worse injury thanks to landing on a pile of saddle blankets which would be washed. But the black cat had not been that grateful for the quick rush to the vet, undoubtedly since he had to wear some baby clothes until the stitches on a few smaller wounds had healed. Her cousin Morgan had gotten a few claw marks on his hands as thanks for trying to get the cat into the carrier. 

“Poor cat. He must have been so displeased with having to wear Aegon's old clothes,” Théodred grinned when Elia showed a photo from her handbag, where Balerion truly seemed ready to murder someone. Seeing her husband at a distance where he was talking with a few old friends of theirs, Elfhild bid the younger duo goodbye as she now could move herself with the wheelchair because it was flat stone floor here. 

~X~X~X~X~X~X

Although they had only admitted it to their closest relatives with the unspoken request to not reveal it in the media, Elia and Théodred had been dating in secret for nearly a year now. Originally it had been a pure chance that they both had been visiting the Vaes Dothrak as an representative of their homelands during an important horse riding festival there, and then travelled to Norvos together when it turned out that the Prince of Rohan would be on a democratic visit there. Since Mellario had been home visiting her family, it had been a perfect chance for Elia to come along and join the Princess Consort of Dorne back home. 

While Elia had first been somewhat burned by her marriage to Rhaegar, Théodred showed full understanding about that she was not yet willing to fully open up again and never pressed her about something, only asking if she would like to have a drink somewhere or suggesting that they might watch a newly-released historical documentary at a movie theater. From those meetings, a friendship had eventually turned into love.

“What great luck that the media is actually respectful against the royal family here in Rohan, just as home in Dorne. I hate paparazzi and gossip magazines,” Elia said as they entered a favorite restaurant of the royals here in Old Edoras, knowing that there would be no photographers inside. They would eat on the second floor, and then planned to have some fun with other couples at the dance hall next-door. 

“Given that one of my grandfather's two sisters actually was killed in a fatal accident when her horse was spooked by the sudden camera flash and she was thrown off to break her neck in the landing, I think it is pretty safe to say that no paparazzi wants to spend ten years in jail and face a massive debt in the form of a fine that could take even more years to pay off.”

There were other very strict laws that limited the presence of paparazzi in Rohan, so it simply was not a particularly profitable work, especially in view of the high risk of being fined on the spot by the police or other forms of security guards and brought before a court for not respecting the _private life_ of other persons. 

  
  


It was a very lovely, romantic dinner with venison served alongside roasted root fruits and a tasty sauce, which they were having a bottle of alcohol free cider since the night was more fun if they were sober, followed by chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream, raspberries and leaves of mint. 

“A wonderful evening so far, with a very pleasant company.” 

“Indeed, a good company can make a big difference.”

Théodred smiled fondly at her as he looked up from his half-finished dessert, a smile that she had never seen Rhaegar with. And the Prince of Rohan knew that it was perfectly normal to not always keep up a _perfect_ image of himself in front of others either, no, he did a lot to prove himself a normal human with flaws like everyone else. 

“May I invite you to a dance, princess?”

She accepted the offer with a smile, taking his hand as he helped her to stand up. 

  
  


As they went to the dance hall, there were a few of his friends with their wives or girlfriends who could be glimpsed among the couples. 

“Looks like we are all having the same idea for a romantic evening.”

As they let the music guide them into what sort of dance to make as a pair, once again Elia had to think about the differences between the two Crown princes she had been involved with. Given that Théodred had been willing to donate blood to her, a stranger at that point, when hearing that she needed a blood fusion and sharing the same rare blood type, he had proved himself a very different man than Rhaegar from the start. 

  
  
  


Elia was not surprised at all when he used the waltz to guide her out on the upper balcony for some privacy. Here they could be alone, without anything trying to spy. Something good was about to happen, she did not doubt that. 

“I believe it is time to take the **_next step_ ** in our relationship, my Sun princess.” 

When he spoke so, her lips were twitching into a smile. 

“There better be a _marriage_ _proposal_ attached to those words, my good future King of Rohan,” she answered. In turn, Théodred grinned with all the honesty that she loved about Rohan. 

“How about it then, princess Elia of Dorne? Shall we marry after next Midsummer and let the people north of the Red Mountains realize that Rhaenys and Aegon will have a life free of the Iron Throne alongside a father that will not run after women younger than himself even after the marriage vows?”

She raised an eyebrow, resisting a smirk. He knew that she wanted her children away from Rhaegar, and marrying a descendant of Eorl the Young, the first King of Rohan, would be a nice slap in the face to anyone in Westeros who thought that she would spend the rest of her life being miserable over losing the queen crown and position as wife to the current Targaryen king to the ten years younger Lyanna Stark. 

“Unlike that fool I had to call the sperm donor to my children, your sole mistress would be the Kingdom and people that you one day shall rule after your father. And even if we do not end up having children, you have four healthy aunts and their offsprings to call your back-up heirs. I think that the 18th King from the House of Eorl the Young and a daughter of House Martell will make **_a excellent love match._ **” 

Smirking in triumph over her response, the sole child of King Théoden and queen Elfhild held up the traditional betrothal symbol of the royal family here in Rohan, a gold pendant with an rare amber stone inside. Bowing her head, Elia allowed him to place it around her neck. In the morning, they would tell their families that a wedding with them as the bride and groom would happen in little over a year. 

“Queen Elia of Rohan, I like how it sounds.”

Their foreheads touched, a foreshadowing of the kiss they would soon share. 

“Elia Eorl sounds far better than Elia Targaryen, do you not agree?” 

With a very passionate kiss while hugging each other tightly, they sealed the new change in their relationship. 

**Author's Note:**

> Inspiration for the dance hall comes from Ornässtugan, one of Sweden's oldest museums


End file.
